Devil's Night
by Rhadiox 2.0
Summary: It's the night before Halloween in Gotham City, and it seems that the ghouls are out early. Can the Batman and Catwoman save the city or are the citizens doomed for a truely frightful night?


**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman.**

**This is my first holiday fic, and what better holiday than my favorite...Christmas! Wait. That's not right. Halloween is what I meant to say. This is a two chapter story and the next one will be up soon. Now, I want everyone to have a safe and happy Halloween! BWAHAHAHA! (I had to get that out of my system).**

**~Rhadiox**

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><p>Solomon Grundy,<p>

Born on a Monday,

Christened on Tuesday,

Married on Wednesday,

Took ill on Thursday,

Grew worse on Friday,

Died on Saturday,

Buried on Sunday.

This is the end of Solomon Grundy.

~James Halliwell-Phillipps

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><p>Axis Chemical Plant was the leading manufacturer of chemicals in northeastern United States. They specialized in producing and storing chemicals, from hazardous materials ranging from Sulfuric acid to other less dangerous compounds such as Nitrous oxide, more commonly known as laughing gas or sweet air.<p>

In the monitor room, two guards were watching over the different camera angles of the factory. Suddenly, the ground started to shake, and on the monitors, something smashed through the wall. The guards looked on in shock as the debris cleared and a mammoth of a being slowly walked in.

He stood at 9'2'' complete with muscles on his muscles and ghostly pale skin. His disheveled white hair hung in his cold, black eyes and he was clothed in rags of a once nice black suit. The guards recognized the creature almost immediately once the cloud of debris had lifted. It was the Marshland Monster. The security guards knew they were in way over their head and called the police, then upholstered their guns and went to intercept the intruder.

Solomon Grundy trudged through the chemical plant, looking for something. Each step the zombie took formed cracks in the ground and his long arms hung dead by his side.

"Freeze!" Grundy turned around to see the night security guards aiming at him. He growled and glared at the two men. His lifeless eyes sent chills down both the guards' spines. Instead of attacking, however, he instead turned back around and continued on his way.

Neither men knew which one did it, but one of their guns went off and struck Grundy in the the back. Everything changed in that moment as Solomon Grundy spun around and charged at the smaller men.

"Solomon Grundy born on a Monday!" He yelled and grabbed the closest of the two guards with his giant hand. The guard screamed as he was crushed in the giant's grip. The other security guard opened fire on Grundy, but the bullets simply pierced the skin, neither drawing blood or stopping the monster.

Grundy's nostrils flared and he backhanded his attacker across the room and through some metal pipes. He then looked down at the man in his grasp and added his other hand to apply more pressure. The guard screamed in agony as he felt all his bones breaking, until finally he stopped breathing. Solomon Grundy threw the lifeless body to the side and then continued on his way. "Solomon Grundy. Born on a Monday."

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><p>Police Commissioner Jim Gordon was looking over the security tapes in the monitor room. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "This is why I hate Halloween," he grumbled and replaced his glasses on his nose.<p>

"It's not Halloween yet, Commissioner. Tonight is Devil's Night." The feminine voice nearly made Commissioner jump out of his skin. He and the other officers reviewing the security footage turned to look in the shadows. Out of the corner of the room appeared the Catwoman and the Batman.

Gordon looked over to the two officers looking over the security recordings and motioned for them to the door with his head. They nodded and moved out of the room. Once the door closed, Gordon looked up at the two costumed heroes, shaking his head and chuckling. "You know, it's bad enough when he does it. Now, with you in the picture, I'm not sure how an old man like me will survive."

The Batman said nothing; instead, just making his way over to the security monitors. "Solomon Grundy." He finally said when a decent shot was came into view.

"Yes. He broke into the plant just a little over an hour ago. Busted right through the wall, and took out the two security guards on duty; killing one and hospitalizing the other. The one in the hospital is probably not going to make it."

"Mind if I take a copy of the recording?"

"Be my guest."

The Batman ejected one of the discs from the security camera's recorder and stored it in his utility belt. The Dark Knight then turned away from the screens to look at Gordon. "Any reason why he came?"

"It's strange; he came in and the only thing he took were some papers on a new air-based pharmaceutical drug about to be produce."

"Maybe he's got a case of the sniffles," Catwoman joked.

"That's the strange part. The formula isn't anywhere close to being completed and he didn't even take the whole file."

"Do you have any idea what were on the pages he took?" asked the Batman.

Gordon shrugged. "Just the page that contained the molecular formula, but it's completely useless."

Catwoman relaxed into a chair and propped her legs up over the arm rest. "Then why steal it? It's not even Grundy's MO. He's definitely not the chemistry type. The only thing he usually goes after is cash."

"That's what I can't figure. He had nothing to gain from breaking into Axis. And he can't hope to sell the drug as is."

"Much less have the brainpower to come up with such a plan." Catwoman sarcastically added.

The Batman walked past Gordon and spoke without turning around. "I'll see what I can figure out."

"You'd probably have a better chance of doing that-" Gordon turned to see that both the Dark Knight and the Catwoman were gone. "than we possibly could." He finished his sentence to himself. "How the hell does he do that?"

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><p>The Batmobile raced through the near empty streets of Gotham, it's sporty, yet intimidating body styling made even more menacing by the blue lights under the hood and around the vents.<p>

"So? Where are we going, Bat-boy?"

The Batman did not respond; he seldom ever did. He instead placed the disc of the captured security footage into the on board computer, which then read off the disc to show the footage on the monitor.

"Oh, I think I've seen this one before. It was the butler wasn't it?" Catwoman remarked. The Batman continued to look at the road. "You know, you're no fun."

"Computer. Fast-forward and stop video at 22:36:09." The computer followed his command and skipped to that certain time on the video feed and paused. The Batman finally glanced away from the road to look at the view screen. "Notice anything?"

The Catwoman moved to get a better look at the screen. "Well, Grundy could use a hair cut. And probably a new tailor. Other than that I don't see..." She finally saw it. Hidden underneath the shag that was Grundy's hair was something red with tiny yellow blinking lights. Catwoman moved closer to get a better look. "When does Grundy where headbands?"

"He doesn't."

"Well, good. That color doesn't suit him at all."

The Batman ignored that last comment and looked back at the road. "I've seen that headband before. It's a design from one of WayneTech's former employees. And, since it's 6:00, he should be in his room."

"Not to burst your bubble, Bats, but it's past 6:00?"

"Not in his mind."

The Batmobile turned down an alley with a seemingly dead-end. The brick wall, however, lowered to give access to one of the many tunnels in a system used by the Batman to get around Gotham as quickly as possible in times of emergencies. But this passage only had one purpose; a single destination. This was the tunnel to Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane.

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><p>The Batman and Catwoman were led deeper into the asylum by the newly appointed warden, Quincy Sharp and Chief Psychiatrist Jeremiah Arkham.<p>

"I'm afraid you're mistaken, Batman." The doctor said. "Jervis Tetch is still in his cell. I saw him just this morning."

"Then you wouldn't mind if I took a look?"

The warden stopped and turned to stand in the path of the Batman. "I assure you that there is no need. I run a tight outfit here of the highest standards; not one patient has escaped. Not one." The warden looked pleased with himself until the Batman brushed past him. Catwoman came to face the warden.

"Warden. He always gets his way. For your sake, I would stay put and let us handle this."

Warden Sharp's face contorted in outrage. "Now see here! You can't-"

"Ah ah ah. Is that anyway to treat a lady?" The Catwoman brought her right hand close to the warden's face and her claws popped out. "I suggest you hold your tongue unless you would like this cat to take it."

The warden looked down at the claws and gulped. "Very good then. Carry on." He meekly said and then walked away, quickly followed by Dr. Arkham.

The Catwoman could not help but laugh. "Scurry on, little mice. Scurry on with your tails between your legs." She called out, then turned to catch up with the Caped Crusader."

"..so rested he by the Tumtum tree, and stood awhile in thought." Jervis Tetch, more commonly known as the Mad Hatter, was sitting on the ground with his back against the wall. He had been reciting the nonsense poem, Jabberwocky, when he heard a tap at the transparent glass door to his cell. Jervis looked up and smiled. "Well, Cheshire Puss. This is a surprise." He stood up and walked over to his visitor. "What brings such a lovely and yet so mischievous character to my humble abode?"

The Catwoman could not help to smile a Cheshire grin. "He does." Her eyes moved looked to the left.

Jervis followed her eyes and his smile fell immediately, replaced by fear. His voice was quiet as he recited the next verse to the poem. "And as in uffish thought he stood, the Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, came whiffling through the tulgey wood, and burbled as it came."

The Batman narrowed his eyes at the petrified Hatter. "I want some answers."

"But I haven't done anything!"

The Batman did not respond, and instead produced a blown up image of Solomon Grundy from the security footage. The Mad Hatter, curiosity peaked, peered at the picture hesitantly. "Recognize anything?" The Batman's voice sent chills down the Hatter's spine, but he moved closer to get a better look.

Tetch's eyes widened as he saw the band around Grundy's head and he snarled as the anger began to surface. "My device! This is an outrage!" He banged on the glass, not even leaving a mark. "When was this taken!"

"About two hours ago at Axis Chemicals. Any idea who's behind it?" asked Catwoman.

The Mad Hatter pondered for a moment. "Only two people know of where I hid my devices. There was Edward Nigma..."

Catwoman leaned over and whispered to the Batman. "He's still locked up."

"And-" Tetch's eyes widened again in realization and his feelings quickly turned to rage. He slammed both fists on the glass. "That scoundrel! How dare he steal one of my wonderful inventions! That straw brained sack face! Off with his head! Off with his head!"

As Jervis continued his rantings, Batman replaced the picture and began to walk away, the Catwoman following close behind. The feline femme fatale chuckled and the Batman stopped to glance in her direction.

"He seems to be getting better," she joked. The Batman answered in a grunt and continued to the exit. Catwoman crossed her arms and shook her head. "No fun at all."

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><p>"Neanderthal! Brute! Great big oaf! The task I assigned you was simple! Go in, get the document, and get out. I'm not sure how you botched that up, you incompetent lummox. But low and behold, you did it! Now the Batman's surely on our trail!"<p>

Grundy growled at the raging Scarecrow. "How dare you growl at me!" The zombie stood up from the crate he was sitting on and brought back his hand into a fist. The Scarecrow shook his head and smiled from behind his mask. "I don't think so," The Scarecrow pulled out a remote to the headband and pressed the button. Grundy screamed in pain as the electric current from the band flew through his body.

The Scarecrow laughed darkly. "The mind control of the band might not work on you as I had hoped, but the safety measure I installed works keeps you in your place." The master of fear turned on his heel to face his group of henchmen. He flexed the syringes on his right hand and adjusted his hat. "We will move our plans forward a little sooner than expected." He said and pushed through his group of goons and leaving behind Solomon Grundy twisting in agony on the ground.

To Be Concluded...

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><p><strong>Tell me what you think. R&amp;R! If you have any questions, drop me a PM (Personal Message) or leave the question in the review. Favs and alerts are much appreciated. And check out my other stories too.<strong>


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